Canopy for draft-animals.



F. H. GROGKBR & P. E. SHERIDAN.

CANOPY FOR DRAFT ANIMALS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

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F. GROCKER & P. B. SHERIDAN.

CANOPY FOR DRAFT ANIMALS.

APPLIUATION FILED 82M. 9. 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IN VE N T ORA XL M A Home UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRICK H. GROCKER AND PRIMROSE EVANS SHERIDAN, OF CAMBRIDGE,

MASSACHUSETTS.

CANOPY FOR DRAFT-ANIMALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 9, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Serial No. 648,454.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FREDRICK HEBER CROGKER, a citizen of Newfoundland, and PRrMnosn EVANS SHERlDAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residents of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Canopy for Draft-Animals, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

The object of our improvement is to produce a canopy for draft animals, adapted to properly shield the animal, without restricting in any manner the movements of the animal, and adapted to be folded into a compact shape and'reasonable compass for storage when not in use.

Our invent-ion consists in a novel single support for a novel two part articulating frame to cover the body of the animal, a head and neck frame suspended from the two part articulating frame and adapted to cover the head and neck of the animal without restricting the movements of the animal, and a removable cover for each or both frames.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of our improved canopy for draft animals, the cover being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a top view of the canopy support and frame; Fig. 3 is a detail View of the middle or main support; Fig. 4 is a detail of the auxiliary or rear support; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, some parts being omitted; Fig. 6 is a detail View of means for hinging the two members of the body frame together for fastening the body frame; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the canopy frame in folded position in full lines and in unfolded position in dotted lines; and Fig. 8 is a view of a modification of the construction of the head and neck frame supporting means.

11 and 12 are the fore and rear parts of the two two-part side pieces of the twopart articulating body frame A, the parts of each two-part side piece being hinged together by a hinge 13 on the upper side thereofand held in extended position by a catch 14 pivoted at 15 and engaging a headed stud 16 on the underside of the twopart side piece.

17 and 18 are the fore and rear parts of a twopart middle piece hinged together by hinge 19 on the upper side thereof.

20, are arched cross ribs pivotally secured by rivets, bolts, studs or other fastenings 21. to the side pieces 11 and 12, the ribs, side pieces and middle piece forming a frame over which may be stretched a cover 22, which is preferably removably secured to the frame by means of button holes 23 slipping m'er buttons or studs 24.

25, is a pair of upwardly and forwardly extending or davit shaped supports secured to or made integral with the forward extremities of the fore parts of the side pieces, and adapted to support a cross bar 26 between them. The two fore parts of the side pieces, the davit shaped supports and the cross bar may all be in one piece, when the frame is made of metal. The cross bar 26 is adapted, by means of a short chain or equivalent piece 27 connected to the middle of the cross bar, to support an approximately inverted U shaped arched bracket 28 the ends of which are pivoted to and support the rear ends of the side bars 29 of a detachable neck and head frame B, the pivots 30 being in the form of universal joints if desired.

31, are inverted U shaped arched cross ribs pivotally secured by rivets, bolts, studs 01' other means 32 to the side bars 29 and forming, with a forwardly extending U shaped strip 33, which strip 33 may be pivotally or rigidly secured to the side bars 29 or made integral therewith, a frame B on which may be stretched a cover 34, the cover 34 being preferably removably secured to the frame by means of studs or buttons 35. Vhen the cover is of comparatively stiff material the fastening means 21 and 32 in all instances may be made integral with the studs or buttons 24 and 35 and where the cover is of lighter and more stretchable material additional studs or buttons may be used between the fastening means 21 and 32, to secure the covers at points closer to each other.

The arched cross ribs 20 are hinged by suitable means 36 to the adjacent parts of the fore and rear parts of the two-part middle piece so that in folding the frame by doubling the rear part of the frame A over onto the fore part of the frame A, the ribs are caused to assume a position in practically the same plane as the two two-part side pieces. One of the arched cross ribs 20 on the fore part of the body frame A, and being preferably the middle arched cross rib, has secured to its underside by rivets, bolts or other means 37 a double U shaped bracket 38, secured in turn to a girth or belly band 39, the double U shaped bracket conforming in the curvature of its base portions to the back of the animal upon which the bracket is to be attached at this point and having the portion between the two U shaped port-ions on a higher plane so as to avoid contacting with the spinal prominence of the animal at this point. To another arched cross rib 20 on the rear part of the two-part body awning frame A is secured a W shaped bracket 40 conforming to the shape of the back of the animal upon which the bracket is to rest at this point. This bracket is simply to take a part of the weight of the body frame and cover and to prevent undue swing or side movement of the frame when the animalis in motion.

To the side bars 29 of the head and neck frame B, at about the point where the animals ears would be, are secured a pair of depending straps 41 to which are secured band or strap 42 to cross the animals head before the ears and band or strap 43 to cross the animals head behind the ears, and a strap 44 to pass under the animals neck, together serving to secure the head and neck frame B relative to the animals head.

It will be noted that the body frame A is secured by the girth or belly band 39 only to the animal and that the head and neck frame is secured by the three coacting bands or straps 42, 43 and 44, only to the animal, and that between these two securing points there are two pivotal or hinged connections. It will be noted that the double U shaped bracket 38 bears only on either side of the back of the animal escaping pressure on the part over the spine, thus supporting the body frame with no chance of wearing a sore on the animals back. It will be noted that the W shaped bracket 40 merely rests on the animals quarters and that the rear part of the two-part body frame is thus free to yield with relation to the fore part of the twopart body frame in response to the changing curvature of the animals back when in motion. It will'be noted that the peculiar hanging of the head and neck frame B to the davit shaped supports, and the hinging of the inverted U shaped bracket 28 to the side bars 29, permit movementof the animals head and neck both up and down and sidewise through a large arc. It will be noted that the davit shaped sup ports 25 may be integral with the side pieces 11 and with the cross bar 26 and be U shaped instead of angular and that the intermediate inverted U shaped arched bracket 28 may be dispensed with as shown in the modification illustrated in Fig. 8.

In folding the frames, the cover may or may not be removed, according to the nature of the material, the rear part 12 of the body frame A being folded over onto the fore part, the ribs moving automatically to a position in the same plane as the two-part side pieces, the head and neck frame B being then folded over onto the rear part of the body frame, the peculiar connections permitting of the easy positioning of the frame and the ribs being turned down by hand into a position in the same plane as the side bars 29. If the covers have been removed they can be folded and laid on the lap of the folded frames and the whole device stowed in a convenient place, such a bundle going easily under the seat" of a buggy or other small vehlcle.

It is obvious that by hinging the ribs of the head and neck frame in the same manner as those of the body frame, that is to a middle two-part strip, they can be made to automatically fold into a position in the same plane as the side bars 29, which in such case would be made in two parts hinged together and provided with a catch similar to the sidepieces of the body frame A.

By making the head and neck frame and cover independent of the body frame and cover with the exception of the chain con nection it is obvious that a quick separation or oining can be made as but one fastening has to be unloosed in case it is desired to dispense with the head and neck awning.

By having the frame mounted on the animal instead of on the shafts or vehicle they follow the animals body in its movements and can be put on and taken off in the stable as and at the'same time as the other body harness. The simplicity of the connections between frames and animal make the application but the work of a moment as but two straps have to be buckled. The device is applicable to the animal in whatever work it may be engaged whether drawing a vehicle or a plow.

Having thus described our invention the following is what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a canopy for draft animals, an articulating body frame constructed with twopart side pieces and a two-part middle piece; the parts of each side piece being hinged together at the upper side of their inner ends, so as to fold upwardly and unfold downwardly and having fastening means on the underside of their inner ends for securing them in extended position, and arched cross ribs pivoted to the side pieces; the parts of the middle piece being hinged together at the upper side of their inner ends, so as to fold upwardly and unfold downwardly, and hinged on the underside to the arched cross ribs for securing them in extended position.

2. In a canopy for draft animals, an articulating body frame constructed with side pieces, a pair of overhanging supports on the forward extremities of the fore parts of the side pieces, a neck and head frame having an arched bracket pivoted to its inner end and means for suspending the neck and head frame by the arched bracket from the overhanging supports.

3. In a canopy for draft animals, a neck and head frame constructed with side bars, an arched bracket pivoted to the inner end of the side bars, arched cross ribs pivoted to the side bars and a forwardly extending strip secured to the side bars.

4. In a canopy for draft animals, a neck and head frame constructed with side bars, an arched bracket pivoted to the inner end of the side bars, arched cross ribs pivoted to the side bars, a forwardly extending strip secured to the side bars, and means for securing the neck and head frame to the head of the animal.

5. In a canopy for draft animals, the combination of a body frame, a neck and head frame constructed with side bars, an

arched bracket pivoted to the inner end of FREDRICK H. CROCKER. PRIMROSE EVANS SHERIDAN.

Witnesses:

JULIA P. SMALL, Ross E. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

